Беседа 31

Spoken to the people in the Church of St. Lawrence the Martyr on the fourth Saturday of the month of September. Reading the Holy Gospel: Luke 13.6–13. Luke 13.6–13. And he spoke this parable: a man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, and found none; and he said to the vinedresser, “Behold, I have come for the third year looking for fruit on this fig tree, and have not found it; cut it down: why does it occupy the land? But he answered him: Master! leave it for this year too, while I dig it up and cover it with manure, - will it bear fruit? if not, then next year you will cut it down. He taught in one of the synagogues on Saturday. There was a woman who had had a spirit of weakness for eighteen years: she was bent over and could not straighten up. Jesus, seeing her, called her and said to her: woman! you are freed from your illness. And he laid his hands on her, and she immediately straightened up and began to praise God. 1. Our Lord and Redeemer in His Gospel speaks sometimes in words, sometimes in things; sometimes about one thing - in words, and about another - in things; and sometimes about the same thing in words and things. For you, brothers, have heard about two things: about a barren fig tree and about a crumpled woman; both were shown love. But He expressed the first in a parable, and He accomplished the second in practice. But a barren fig tree signifies the same thing as a crumpled woman; and a fig tree left in place is the same as a woman standing upright. The lord of the vineyard came to the fig tree for three years and found no fruit, but the upright woman was crooked for eighteen years. But the number eighteen years signifies the same thing as is expressed by the three-year coming of the lord of the vineyard to the barren fig tree. So, since we briefly explained everything in general in advance, we will now discuss each thought in particular in the order of reading. 2. “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, and did not find it.” What does the fig tree mean if not human nature? What does a crouched woman figuratively mean, if not the same nature? This woman is both planted well, like a fig tree, and created well, like a woman; but having voluntarily fallen through her own fault, she has neither the fruit of her works nor the state of uprightness. Because, willingly falling into sin, since she did not want to bear the fruit of obedience, she lost the state of integrity. Created in the likeness of God, she, unable to maintain her dignity, despised the preservation of that with which she was planted or created. The Lord of the vineyard comes three times because he sought the nature of the human race before the Law, under the Law and under grace, waiting, exhorting and visiting. 3. “And he said to the vinedresser: Behold, I have come for the third year looking for fruit on this fig tree and have not found it.” He came before the Law, because through natural reason he made it known what everyone, following His example, should do in relation to their neighbor. He came in the Law because he taught with the commandments. He came after the Law by grace, because He clearly showed the presence of His love. But despite the fact that He complains that in three years He did not find fruit, because the souls of some wicked people are not corrected by the inspired natural law, nor are the commandments taught, nor are He converted by the miracles of the Incarnation. But what is expressed through the husbandman if not the order of the primates? They, being the leaders in the Church, are the ones who take care of the vineyard of the Lord. For the first vinedresser of this vineyard was the Apostle Peter. We follow him, unworthy, as we work hard to teach you in teaching, prayer, and reproof. 4. But with great fear one must listen to what is said to the vinedresser about the barren tree: “Cut it down: why does it take up the land!” Each, according to his own measure of space in real life, if he does not bear the fruit of good deeds, occupies the earth like a barren tree, because in the place on which he stands he does not give the opportunity to others to act. But in this age, every strong person, if he does not have the fruit of good deeds, prevents others from having it either, because those under his power are embarrassed by the example of his wickedness, as if by the shadow of his corruption. If there is a barren tree above, then the earth below lies barren. A thick shadow is cast from above the barren tree and does not allow the sun's rays to penetrate to the ground; because when all the subordinates of a depraved patron see depraved examples, then they themselves, remaining fruitless, are deprived of the light of truth. And being constrained by the shadow, they do not accept the warmth of the sun, because they remain cold towards God from the side from which they are poorly patronized in this century. But God hardly exacts anything from this corrupt and strong person. For after he is lost, one only needs to ask, why does he embarrass others? - Therefore, the lord of the same vineyard says well: “Cut it down: for what reason does it occupy the land?” Because the earth is occupied by the one who burdens other people's souls; the earth is occupied by those who do not justify the place they occupy with good deeds. 5. But despite this, it is our duty to pray for such. For let us listen to what the vinedresser says: “Sir! leave it for this year as well, while I dig it up and cover it with manure.” What does it mean to “dig up” a fig tree if not to expose barren souls? For all entrenchment occurs from below. And reproof, showing the soul to itself, actually humiliates. So, no matter how many times we rebuke someone for his sin, so many times, due to the duty of cultivation, we are, as it were, digging up a barren tree. But let’s listen to what they say after digging in: and “I’ll sprinkle it with manure.” What does “pus” (dung) mean if not remembrance of sins? For sins are called the dung of the flesh. Therefore, through the Prophet it is said: “The working animals rotted in their litter” (Joel 1.17). Because for working animals to rot in their litter means to end the life of all carnal (people) in the satisfaction of lust. So, how many times we rebuke the carnal soul for its sins, how many times we bring to memory its previously committed vices, so many times we, as it were, lay manure on a barren tree, so that it (the soul) brings to memory the sins it has committed and, as if from the dung, becomes fat for the grace of contrition. Dung is placed at the root of the tree when meditation produces consciousness in its wickedness. And when the soul, through repentance, is awakened to tears and transformed for the grace of good deeds, when the root of the heart, as if through the touch of manure, is renewed to the fruitfulness of good, then it weeps for what it remembers of what it has done, turns away from itself, as it was according to memory, takes a decisive intention in spite of itself and inflames the spirit for the better. So, from manure the tree comes to life to bear fruit, because from thinking about sin the soul is restored to good deeds. - However, there are many who listen to reproof and scolding and yet do not want to turn to repentance, and, being unfruitful for God, in this age they turn green. But let us listen to what the fig tree tender adds: “Will it bear fruit; if not, then next year you will cut it down.” Because whoever here does not want to accept the juiciness for fruit-bearing from battle, he actually falls to a place from where he can no longer rise through repentance, and will be flogged in the future, although here he seems to be standing with greenery without fruit. 6. “He taught in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. There was a woman there who had had a spirit of weakness for eighteen years: she was bent over and could not straighten up.” We have already said above that this was the third coming of the Lord to the barren fig tree, as indicated by the number of eighteen years in the crumpled woman. For man was created on the sixth day (Gen. 1.27), and on the same sixth day all the works of the Lord were finished. But the number six multiplied by three equals eighteen. So, since man, created on the sixth day, did not want to have perfect works, but was weak before the Law, under the Law and at the beginning of grace, he was an eighteen-year-old crumpled woman. “She was hunched over and could not straighten up.” Every sinner who thinks about earthly things and does not seek heavenly things cannot look up, because, indulging in lower desires, he deviates from the directness of his mind and always sees only what he thinks about. - Dearest brethren, turn to your hearts, always watch what you contain in your thoughts every hour. One thinks about honors, another about money, the third about booty. It's all down there; and when the mind becomes entangled in this, then it deviates from the integrity of its position. And since he does not rise to the shadow of the heavenly, he cannot in any way look up, like a crouched woman. 7. It follows: “When Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her: woman! you are freed from your illness. And he laid his hands on her, and she immediately straightened up.” He called me over and straightened me out because he enlightened me and helped me. He calls, but does not straighten us, when, although we are enlightened by His grace, we cannot receive help, according to our merits. For most of the time we see what needs to be done, but in reality we do not do it. We become stronger and find ourselves weak. The judgment of the mind sees straightness, but before it the strength in execution fails, because from the punishment of sin it happens that although by gift (grace) good may be visible, but what is visible is removed from it by merit. For habitual guilt binds the soul in such a way that it cannot at all rise to uprightness. It intensifies - and falls, because where she voluntarily stayed for a long time, she falls there under duress, even if she didn’t want to. This crouching of ours in the image of the human race is well spoken of through the Psalmist: “I am bowed and completely drooping, I walk around lamenting all day” (Ps 37.7). For, having reflected that man was created to contemplate the Highest Light, but was driven out for sins, carries darkness in his soul, does not desire the Highest, strives for the lower, does not want the heavenly at all, always carries earthly things in his soul, he grieved for what he noticed in the human race, and exclaimed from himself, saying: “I am bent and completely drooping.” For a person who loses contemplation of heavenly things, if he began to think only about what is necessary for the flesh, he would suffer and be crippled, but he would not be crumpled to the “end.” So, the one whom not only necessity distracts from higher thoughts, but also removes even the most illicit pleasure, is not only crouched, but crouched “to the end.” Therefore, another Prophet says about unclean spirits: “Fall on your face so that we can walk over you; and you made your backbone as if it were ground and a street for those who passed by” (Isaiah 51.23). Because the soul stands upright when it desires the highest, and does not at all bow to the lower. But the evil spirits, when they see her standing in her uprightness, cannot cross her. For crossing them means instilling impure desires in her. That is why they say: “bow down so that we may pass through”; because if the soul does not humiliate itself to low desires, then their malice has no power over it; and they cannot pass through the one whom they fear, as cold towards them from attention to the highest. 8. So, beloved brethren, do we not give way to evil spirits in ourselves when we passionately desire earthly things, when we bend over to desires of the temporal? Therefore, it is a shame to passionately desire earthly things and expose the necks of souls to enemies passing through them. He who is crouched always looks at the ground; and whoever desires the lowest does not remember at what price he was redeemed. Therefore, through Moses it is said that the hunchback should not be promoted to priest (Lev. 21.20). And we, as many of us as have been redeemed by the blood of Christ, are made members of the same supreme High Priest. That is why we are told through Peter: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Pet 2.9). But he who is crouched always looks down. Consequently, he is deprived of the priesthood, because whoever is committed to only earthly things is his own witness that he is not a member of the High Priest. Therefore, the believing people are again forbidden to eat fish that do not have feathers (Lev. 11.10). Because fish with scaly feathers usually jump over water. So, what are transformed by winged fish, if not chosen souls? Truly, they only become part of the Heavenly Church; only leaning on the feathers of virtues, they know how to make leaps with the desire of the Heavenly, in order to strive through contemplation to the Highest, although they again return to themselves due to the mortal body. So, if we already truly know the blessings of the Heavenly Fatherland, then we, beloved brethren, should not like the fact that we are crouched. Imagine before your eyes a crumpled woman and a barren fig tree. Let us remember the sins we have committed, let us cover the root of our hearts with manure, so that then the fruit of retribution will make what was frozen to us here through repentance. And if we cannot fulfill all the virtues, then God himself rejoices at our crying. For we will please Him with the very beginning of justice, who will ourselves punish the unrighteousness we have done. There should be no delay in crying, because the abiding joys quickly dry up the passing tears through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, through all the ages of ages. Amen. You might be interested in: